Right Place, Right Time
by accioblueberrypancakes
Summary: Watch as Hermione and Draco find each other in a mess called life, attempt to solve their so-called "issues", and trek through their magical world that is never quite done with being evil, or annoying; which honestly depends on how you see the magical world. (Also posted in AO3 under my pen name: accioblueberrypancakes)
1. Chapter 1: Because Life Likes Curveballs

p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"strongemLondon, England/em /strongbr /strongemThursday, September 11, 2003/em/strong/p  
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione was ten minutes late./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"This was very unusual for her. However, her first meeting of the day was with someone that she was in no rush to meet. She knew that being one minute late was enough to send her into a frenzied panic. Now ten minutes? She might as well take her time. The war heroine stepped onto the road, as the lights on the poles flashed, her head jumbled with her thoughts. The woman felt the odd leftovers of her hangover drumming at the back of her skull as she kept walking to her destination./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /It was a bleary Thursday morning; the clouds overhead loomed precariously with the promise of rain. Hermione sighed pulling her cloak tighter around herself. She had already drunk through two bottles of expensive wine her parents had gifted her two years ago. And half a bottle of Firewhiskey that Harry had left the last time he was at her place. Hermione cursed silently at her inability to deal with situations head-on anymore./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Where was her Gryffindor spirit?/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"Her face contorted with a /That so-called "spirit" was most likely buried beneath the mess that she would call her life./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"As she weaved through the crowd of muggles, Hermione was still lost in her thoughts. She was faintly surprised that her hangover potion was not as potent as it used to be. Seconds later spotted the red phone booth at the junction of Scotland Place and Great Scotland Yard and made a beeline for it. Hermione just wanted to get the day over and done with. Her flat was near the Ministry's guest entrance, so most days she preferred to walk than Floo./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione arrived at her main office that was on Level 5 of the Ministry of Magic and in the Division of Magical Legal Processes. Sitting outside of her office, looking bored and uninterested was the person that she was to meet. Her employees were all curiously watching as she approached the person. Hermione gave no mind to him and walked over to her secretary's circulation desk where a Lisbet Willoughby sat proudly./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione approached Lisbet's desk with a dim smile. "Hey Lis," she said. "Any messages?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Lisbet's eyes shifted from the person outside Hermione's door to Hermione herself. The blonde looked radiant, her green eyes wide with wonder as she greeted Hermione./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"You haven't got any messages," Lisbet said, her American drawl evident as she spoke. "Only one meeting so far."br /Hermione shot Lisbet a curious look./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Why do you look as if you're glowing?" Hermione was frowning./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Lisbet shrugged, her wavy hair falling over her shoulders. Hermione's secretary was an excitable American witch that moved from New York City two years ago. She loved muggle movies and gossip. Though, to be fair, Hermione's whole office loved to gossip. But that was a different story in itself./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"We are all dying to know why, Malfoy, is sitting in front of your office," Lisbet asked, her eyes sparkling./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione shot Lis a scathing look and turned away without answering the witch; who was used to not getting replies from her boss. The curly haired woman strode past Malfoy, who had resigned a look of faint interest as Hermione ignored him and wandlessly unlocked her door./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Come in Malfoy," Hermione called as she walked through her door./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Every eye in the office was on the tall, pale, sharp looking Malfoy. It was also peculiar that he was wearing a muggle suit that was showing underneath an expensive cloak. Malfoys were never shy about showing off their wealth. Hermione waited for Malfoy to take a seat, in a stiff manner, before she waved her hand shutting the door. The air was tense as Malfoy looked. He sat in the chair across from Hermione's desk rigged as a piece of wood. She wondered, offhandedly, if that's how he always looked now. Hermione wanted to ask him if he ever relaxed./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"So."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Malfoy inclined his head at her. She noticed his faint smirk and glared slightly. Damn the Malfoy prat, he wanted her to ask him why he was her appointment. Hermione wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes at him. The two former schoolmates stared at each other, neither relenting in their gazes. Hermione blinked and still frowned./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Alright Malfoy," said Hermione in a strict tone. "What can I help you with."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /It came out more forceful than she intended. He was already crawling under her skin and he hadn't even said anything. Malfoy reached into his cloak, pulled out a tube of rolled parchment, and placed it on Hermione's desk. His facial expression shifted to a disinterested one. As if he could care less about being there./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Before you start your tirade of accusing me of anything, have a look at that," he said./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione reached for the parchment and unfurled it; careful to make sure he hadn't cursed it. It was a foot and a half long and there was a contract written on it. The script on the parchment was very wispy, following the trademark Ministry of Magic handwriting, and Hermione could feel the magic seeping from it./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /strongemMinistry of Magic/em/strongbr /strongemMagical Contract: Department of Mysteries/em/strong/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione's eyebrows shot straight up. She raised her wand hand and waved it in the air while her eyes traced the parchment, she had cast a Muffliato Charm. Malfoy eyed her differently at the second use of wandless magic. He had known that Granger was well versed in wandless magic, he just didn't know to which extent. Wandless magic was only so rare because most wizards did not have excellent control over their magic; many people were sloppy at best. Malfoy was proud of his control, but he shouldn't have been too surprised that Hermione also had excellent control./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione, on the other hand, gripped the contract firmer in her hand. The contract stated that Malfoy was to be the Department of Mysteries' on call Healer. It also stated that he was to do rounds in the offices twice a /Kingsley's magical signature was signed at the bottom, along with Malfoy's regal signature. There was also space for her to sign next to the title, Head of the Department of Mysteries. Hermione placed the parchment on her desk and looked at Malfoy./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Since when have you been a qualified Healer," said Hermione, failing to keep her tone non-accusatory. "Especially for the Department of Mysteries?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"Draco scowled, his eyes narrowing and mouth twisting downward."I have been studying in Greece for two years with one of the top Healers in the world," said Draco. Hermione noted the rough tone of annoyance. "I have also been working at St. Mungo's as of January of last year."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /As far as Hermione knew, there hadn't been any news that Malfoy had been back in the country; much less working at the Wizarding hospital. Interestingly enough Malfoy seemed to understand her facial expression of near disbelief./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Kingsley noticed that I was able to evade any mention in the Daily Prophet," he continued. "So, he offered me this side job. The Minister said that there were frequent accidents in the department and that his signature was to serve as a witness."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione felt her ears go pink and frowned. "Our research is…" she paused leveling her eyes with Malfoy's. "Peculiar."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"I'm well aware, Granger," he drawled. "Just sign the bloody paper and I won't need to see your tasteless mug until next week."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione clenched her jaw; she narrowed her eyes dangerously at Malfoy. Usually, the Minister never intruded in anything that the Department of Mysteries did since their department was a special case… But Hermione trusted Shacklebolt enough to be able to abide by his appointments./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Have you no manners?" Hermione said. "Here I thought we were almost civil."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Draco shrugged, almost relaxing into the chair. He didn't reply. Hermione examined him and then the parchment. She knew that if she signed it, it would be binding since it was a magical contract. Chewing on her lip she felt her steely resolve crumble. They really did need a Healer on reserve./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Fine."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione signed her name on the parchment and watched it glow a wispy purple. The parchment rose up from her grasp and popped out of existence, most likely sent to the Ministry's secret archives in the Department of Mysteries./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"If there is nothing else, I'm leaving," said Malfoy./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /He stood up and stalked out of her office, her door slamming so hard that her portraits and items in her office shook violently./p  
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p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"br /strongemLater that evening.../em/strongbr /strongemThe Leaky Cauldron/em/strong/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center" /p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"It's not like he waltzed in there and cursed you."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Ginny Weasley watched Hermione closely, who was almost through her second glass of Firewhiskey./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Bloody felt like it," Hermione all but spat out./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Ginny's eyebrow twitched and she waved her wand at Hermione's Firewhiskey, replacing it with water./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"O-kay! I believe it's time for some water," the red-headed girl said. "You need to sober up and think rationally."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"Ginny!" There was nearly a whine in Hermione's voice. "It was so hard keeping my composure."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"I'm sure it wasn't," Ginny said dryly. She was well aware of Hermione's pension for exaggerating things after drinking Firewhiskey and how whiny she got. "It's not like you will see him every day. You're also the person that is least likely to get hurt up in you-know-where." (Ginny was casually mentioning Hermione's technical side-job.)/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione covered half of her face with one hand and groaned inwardly. Her familiar alcohol-induced headache was starting. She stood up suddenly; a dizzying feel swept her up, and she grabbed her cloak unceremoniously./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /"I'm going home," said Hermione. She dropped a few Sickles and Knuts on the table./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Ginny nodded, arms crossed protectively in front of her. "I think it's best. Go and get some rest 'Mione."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione managed a grimace of a smile and left the pub./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Ginny watched Hermione's retreating back with a frown. Her friend was always worrying and she had double the work most days. Ginny sighed; she was confused as to why Hermione felt so out of touch. The curly haired girl was not acting her usual self, she seemed more doleful lately and snappish. Ginny place some money on the table and swung on her own cloak. She waved to the bartender and walked out onto the cobblestone path of Diagon Alley./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /A chilly breeze swept through the nearly deserted alley, as Ginny ventured toward the Apparition point. The breeze held the promise of autumn as it kicked up dry leaves and Ginny's cloak. Ginny shook her head./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"Hermione was an adult; there was no reason to worry too much. Right?/p  
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p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"br /strongemHermione's flat/em/strong/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Hermione had placed a muggle movie in the DVD player and grabbed another bottle of wine. She had changed into her pajamas after a lukewarm shower and settled onto her sofa. Hermione felt fuzzy headed because she had drunk half of the wine bottle. She could still feel the raging emotions course through her as she thought of Malfoy. Hermione lifted the wine bottle up to her lips again and gulped almost all of it./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"She placed it on the coffee table with force. It wasn't their conversation that bothered her; it was the fact that he looked unscathed. Malfoy's porcelain skin glowing healthily and he still was able to carry himself with pride. She felt a surge of bubbled up emotion in her chest that made her stomach do cold flips./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Envy./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /What Hermione was feeling was envy. She cursed and fell back onto her sofa, clutching a pillow tightly. Staring at the ceiling, the world around her seemed to be swimming as she groaned aloud. All the years of taunting, resentment, suspicion, and frustration ate away at Hermione. Her eyes trailed to the nearly empty wine bottle./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Her flat was only illuminated by the telly, which was still running the movie. It cast shadows on her face as her thoughts trailed elsewhere. The woman wasn't sure when her habit of drinking had started. All she knew was that it helped her not dream and didn't make her feel out of touch with her body. (Unlike if, she drank the Potion for Dreamless Sleep.) She had an inkling the War had triggered it and her work surely did not help./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left"br /Not wanting to think anymore, Hermione emaccio'd/em a soft blanket and stretched out on her sofa. Her cat, Crookshanks noticed Hermione drifting off into a fitful sleep and curled up at her feet./p  
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="left" /p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"emstrongSaturday, September 13, 2003/strong /embr /emstrongHermione's Main Office, MOM Level 5/strong /embr /emstrongDivision of Magical Legal Processes/strong/em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /Hermione sighed for the billionth time./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /Idly, she also wondered when her pension for sighing began. She was working on a case for one of her top clients and she was trying to make sure everything was in order for a small court meeting with a judge or two from the Wizengamot. These were low-level cases but they were important, that's why Hermione formed the Department of Magical Legal Processes. She knew there were some people she had to fight for because they couldn't do it /From the mail slot in her door, a folded up memo whooshed in. It landed swiftly on the desk, unfurling from the paper airplane it resembled. Hermione put down her quill and picked it up./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"emMs. Granger,br /Please come to Level 9./em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione drew up her hair and circled it into a bun on the top of her head; she then grabbed her wand, muttered a Sticking Charm, and for flair, secured her bun with her wand. She glanced at her watch as she flicked her hand out to make sure to summon important documents she'd need. It was a bit past 7 o'clock as Hermione's things floated into her bag and as she made her way to the lift across from her Department. She pressed the button and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /The air was cool it nipped at her bare forearms as Hermione trekked to her actual office. Her robes and cloak billowed out behind her as she turned left from the lift. The candles in the corridors glowed healthy amber, lighting up the doors that lined the walls every few paces. Hermione paused in front of a door with a golden plaque that read emH.J.G/em. and nothing more./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"She placed her hand on the door handle and waited. The door handle glowed a soft red and the door opened and Hermione stepped inside. Hermione's office was bigger than she had anticipated once Kingsley had assigned it to her. It had a large window that overlooked the city of London, her desk sat in the far left corner with two massive bookshelves that made an L shape behind her desk. Off to the back right was a long table and cupboards and in front of her desk was a sofa with a coffee table. She was also glad that the sofa was across from a large fireplace that gave her precious heat in the cold winter months. Hermione set her bag down at her desk and eyed the parcel suspiciously./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /On the long table was a parcel, it was about 7 centimeters all the way around. It was wrapped in plain brown paper and there was a letter next to /Hermione finally ignored the parcel and yanked open the letter./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"emMs. Granger,/embr /emIn this parcel, you will find an old Time Turner. Our research is suggesting that it belonged to a Death Eater but they messed with it so much, that it is dangerously cursed. I am advising extreme caution. Please restore it if possible. If not destroy it. Time Turners are now extremely valuable and I am aware that you understand how they work./embr /emPlease keep me updated./embr /emMinister of Magic,/embr /emKingsley Shacklebolt/em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione set down the letter and slowly opened the parcel. She stared at the Time Turner that she had pulled out of the box. It looked like a regular Time Turner, nothing to differentiate itself. Except as soon as Hermione touched it, she knew, that Kingsley wasn't warning her for laughs. The magic that seeped from it reeked of Dark Magic. She set it down carefully, scrunching up her nose in the process./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /"Of course it would be a Time Turner," said Hermione grumbling to herself, as she let her index finger run over the spines of books on her towering bookshelf./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /The bookshelves in Hermione's office reached the ceiling. On these bookshelves were every type of book one could ever dream of. Hermione at one point chuckled thinking that Madam Pince would blanch at the subjects she had on her shelf; half of them were on Dark Magic and ways to extinguish it. She pulled out several books and levitated them to the table in front of her mini /She threw herself onto the sofa and pulled a dusty old book onto her lap, coughing and waving away the dust that clung to the book like a leech./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"br /It was going to be a long night./p 


	2. Chapter 2: Bc Life Has Too Many Worries

p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"emstrongTuesday, September 16, 2003/strong /embr /emstrongGinny and Harry's flat/strong/em/p  
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center" /p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""What time do you have to go back?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry looked at the mini grandfather clock which sat in the corner of the living room-dining room area. "I have to be back before 3:00 pm."br /She hummed in reply and leaned into Harry's hug./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Ginny sat at her kitchen table with a variety of magazines opened in front of her. Hermione was turning 24 on September 19th and as Hermione's proclaimed girl best friend, Ginny was going to throw a party. As many knew, Ginny loved parties. Damn anyone that had the balls to get in the way of the female Weasley on a mission. The magazine's pictures moved lively, in bright colors, models posing and dancing for the camera. The Ministry had finally been able to mess with the potion that helped the pictures move and put colors into them./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Ginny, what's all this?" Harry said, his mouth forming a thin line as he watched his excited girlfriend circle a variety of things in all the magazines./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I'm planning Hermione's party of course," said Ginny, very assuredly. She also gestured to the mess on the table as to say, emno shite Harry. /em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry's eyebrows pulled up on their own accord. Ginny's red hair bounced as she stood up and tapped her wand happily over all the pictures. Harry closed the refrigerator and opened the cold pumpkin juice bottle he retrieved. He was eyeing his girlfriend with a vague look of apprehension./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""You know she hates excessive things," he said warily. "Hermione's very simple."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Ginny sent him a sharp look. Harry learned a long time to not shrink back from Ginny's shrewd looks, it only made things worse. "Harry," her tone was strict. "I know Hermione. It may look like a lot but I promise she'll love it. I've also asked mum if we could have it at the Burrow. She was positively beside herself with happiness! Mum loves Hermione like a second daughter."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry still looked skeptical as he joined Ginny at the table. "If you're sure," he said./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Ginny and Harry worked through Ginny's magazines, tapping their wands on the products they wanted. Harry had finally given in, looking at the items that Ginny was ordering. It would be expensive, but Ginny was ecstatic that she could afford to throw an extravagant party that would scream Hermione. Being a Chaser on the Holyhead Harpies team allowed Ginny to help out her parents immensely and give her more Galleons than she knew what to do. Harry too was always wary of the, now very large fortune in his Vault, and did not blink an eye at spending money he knew would only accumulate more./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"An owl flew into the kitchen happily doing somersaults. Pigwidgeon hooted and landed on Harry's head. There was a letter attached to his leg, he held it out happily all the while hooting loudly. Ginny laughed at Harry's stricken expression and reached up to untie the letter from the owl's leg. Pig hooted and flew to the empty bird perch in the corner of the kitchen. He nipped at the snacks and dipped his beak in the water./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I thought you would include Hermione in your party throwing extravaganzas," said Harry, his eyes scanned the letter quickly and he stuffed it in his pocket./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Hermione was in a foul mood. She pulled an all-nighter from Saturday till Sunday afternoon," said Ginny, she was frowning. "Then she visited her parents and spent the last part of Sunday night sleeping and she also took Monday off from work and drank the whole day."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry flinched as he helped Ginny clean up the table. He grabbed his pumpkin juice and drank half the bottle./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Mione is for sure overworking herself," he replied, turning the bottle absentmindedly in his hands./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Ginny had stood up and put the magazines away and leaned her hip against the kitchen /"Yeah and she's drinking herself silly."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The couple exchanged looks of worry. The sound of the Floo activating in their living room broke their eye contact. Seconds later Sirius Black waltzed into the kitchen, carrying a large box-y parcel./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""There's my precious godson!" the black haired man exclaimed./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"He dropped his parcel on the table and pulled Harry into an uncomfortable hug as if a snake had coiled itself around /"Si-rius!" Harry gasped, trying to shove the man off him. "I can't b-breathe!"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius let Harry go and grinned ruffling his hair./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""What've you brought?" Ginny asked, peering at the large parcel./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry was glaring half-heartedly at his /Sirius eyed the parcel as he sat down in a chair. "Some ancient books that were in the Grimmauld Place library. I figured that if anyone was going to get any use of them, it was Hermione." He explained, looking very proud of himself./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Damn Sirius, these Restricted Runes books are surely going to help with her research!" Ginny exclaimed looking into the half-opened parcel./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Hey!" Sirius Black yelled, grabbing the parcel from her. "I had wrapped it expertly."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius coddled his torn parcel with a sad, mournful look on his face. He set to work with his wand, muttering curses under his breath as he fixed it /Harry rolled his eyes at the pair while putting dishes away. He secretly loved having Sirius and Ginny bicker. It formed a warm seed in the pit of his stomach that he wasn't sure that he'd ever felt while growing up. Yes, the Weasley family felt as though they were his own family. But Sirius came very close to being Harry's foster father and Ginny, well he had hopeful plans for life with /At this point in his life, Harry finally felt okay./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Ginny let out an unladylike snort. "HA, I'm not sure what type of expert you are." She rolled her eyes and Sirius glared at her./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"As his godfather and girlfriend bickered, worry for Hermione thumped at the back of his mind. Harry knew that Hermione was terrible at self-care. She was always caring for others and forgetting herself, she was the shining definition of self-less. He glanced at Ginny who was brandishing her wand at Sirius with a mocking face. Harry waved his wand at the rest of the dishes and magicked them away into the cupboards./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Maybe getting Hermione tickets to my game in October can help her relax," Ginny said, placing herself on a kitchen stool, across from Harry. Ginny gave up teasing Sirius and eyed Harry as he dried his hands on a towel. "You know she always liked watching us play."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry shrugged and grabbed his forgotten bottle of cold pumpkin juice. "There's a chance, but she's still overworking herself," he said straightening up, finishing off his pumpkin juice, and glancing at his wristwatch. "I'll owl you a list and ideas that could help cheer Hermione up. I have to head back to school because my class starts soon."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry walked around the counter and pulled Ginny into a hug and kissed her /"I'll see you this weekend love." Ginny grinned squeezing her boyfriend back./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry levitated his teaching robes on and grabbed his briefcase. "See you Gin." He smiled and nodded at Sirius. "Ready?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius messed with Ginny's hair and climbed into the fireplace, shouting Harry's Hogwarts office in the process. She pouted and glared at the dark-haired man. Harry watched as his godfather was taken away through the Floo Network and then pulled Ginny into a proper goodbye kiss./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Minutes later, Harry shook his robes free of Floo powder soot as he stepped out of his office fireplace and immediately raised an eyebrow at Sirius, who had raided Harry's personal (warded and locked) away cupboard of liquor./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""This Firewhiskey is divine." Sirius all but groaned in delight. He nursed the tumbler close to his chest. "Where in Merlin's name did you get this?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry shrugged, striding over to his desk. He shuffled around and grabbed the stack of graded Defense Against the Dark Arts assignments on rolled up parchment./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""A gift at one of those benefit dinners," Harry replied flippantly and looked at his watch again. He had five minutes before students would start shuffling into his classroom downstairs. "Now, Sirius, what did you want to tell me before class begins?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius frowned setting down the tumbler and stood up. He straightened out his clothes and helped Harry collect the rest of his /"Yes, well the Minister told me they are watching a certain individual…" Sirius said, stroking the hair on his chin absentmindedly. "Apparently there's something odd going on with the Death Chamber in the Department of Mysteries and they're speculating that one of the Unspeakables did something they weren't supposed to."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry's eyebrows pulled tautly and he watched his step as they headed down the stairs from his office to his classroom. He had a teacher's table in the corner of the classroom, where he had three baskets that collected coursework./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry mulled over the thoughts of his best friend, as Sirius spoke of the Department of Mysteries. He also wondered when in Merlin's name he became such a worrywart. Though, not surprisingly as he placed down his stack of parchment rolls and books, the Auror life did not fit with Harry's need to help others. Hermione always commented offhandedly that Harry had a hero complex. Helping and teaching the youngsters felt so natural to Harry./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"'I just want a normal life," Harry told Hermione a year the war. Because everything in their lives now revolved Prewar and Postwar days. It was sad, disheartening, and bloody depressing. Harry could see that Hermione's strengthen was crumbling. He wasn't sure how much longer she would last with a front only he and her very close friends knew about. Hell, Harry wasn't even sure that Ron knew that Hermione had minimal /Harry blamed the fact that her best friends were a pair of boys and a girl that had six brothers./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione had smiled, a very grim smile at Harry in response to his /em'Oh, Harry, you will get one,'/em she said, placing her small hand on top of his. Harry had strangely seen so much confidence swimming in her wide, doe-like eyes, in that moment that he was inclined to believe her words. em'You deserve it more than anyone.'/em/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Four years later, Harry wondered where the confidence in Hermione's eyes had gone, even if it was only for a split second./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Harry, bloody hell son." Sirius thumped Harry's back with a hand. "You weren't listening to me at all. Where's your sense of adventure mate?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry scoffed, flicking his wand and distributing the parchment rolls into the square cubbies that were at the back of his large, spacious classroom. "As a professor, Sirius, I don't get to have a sense of adventure," he said and shot Sirius a condescending look. "I had enough adventure for about 7 years, thankyouverymuch."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius crossed his arms and shot Harry a deadpan look. "So, the Unspeakable business doesn't strike your fancy, at all?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry paused his organizing and tilted his head a bit. Sirius was giving him a look that reminded him of a wet dog. "If you don't take that barmy look off your face I shall do it for you," said Harry waving his wand at Sirius, who only deepened his pout. "Sirius, I will be out of a job and you may or may not end up sleeping with the Giant Squid tonight."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"This time Sirius glared at Harry and pushed off from where he was leaning against Harry's desk. He sighed and combed his fingers through his wavy, ink coloured mane he called hair. In all the years that Harry had now gotten to know Sirius, his hair continued to stay long and free. Sometimes it was pulled into a topknot bun that Ginny teased the Black about. Harry absentmindedly tugged at a strand of hair that escaped his own ponytail./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Harry," Sirius said, this time there was no humor in his voice. Harry put his wand away and watched his godfather warily. "The Death Chamber isn't something to mess around with… I know Hermione runs that Department, but I can't help but worry. If the rumors are true then we must tread lightly on this situation."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Harry nodded sighing as he leaned his back on his desk. "Yeah, I'm aware." He inclined his head slightly and crossed his arms. "I know we're privy to this situation because of our history and Hermione, but I trust Hermione to deal with her Department."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius nodded in agreement, his expression matching Harry's somber one./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Professor Potter!"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Ah, duty calls," Harry straightened up and placed a smile on his face. "Ready Sirius?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"His godfather laughed, a barking loud laugh that vibrated through Harry's empty classroom. "Sure, anything for you Harry." Sirius squeezed Harry's arm before letting himself fall into his Animagus form./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Sirius watched as Harry greeted his students with a bright smile and snarky remarks. The Black can tell that the students are still fascinated with Harry and are genuinely excited to come to class./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"em"You guys would be so proud of your son,"/em Sirius' thoughts drift to a certain James and Lily Potter./p  
hr style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"strongemMany hours later that same day.../em/strong/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" align="center"br /Hermione was tinkering away again at the Time Turner. She had a broken through four curses so far. She pushed herself away from the magnifying glass stand. Hermione sat up straight and her spine cracked in a few places as she did so. The clock in the corner, signaling the turn of the hour, dinged twelve times. She glanced a the time and sighed. It was already one in the morning and it would only get later if she continued working./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"She took her wand and cast a protection charm over the Time Turner. Her back cracked once more as she stood up to grab her belongings. Hermione let out a breath she had been holding in and loosened her hair, her curls breaking free from their confines. Breaking curses depleted a lot of her magical and regular energy. She had been working since early morning that day and she was surprised to learn that her magical energy had lasted so /Brightest witch of her age./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"This rang through her mind as she cast a locking charm on her office door and made her way towards the lift. Her thoughts left a bitter taste in her mouth. Another sigh escaped her lips as she pressed the down button. She sure as bloody hell didn't feel like the brightest witch of her age./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione was so far gone in her thoughts that she did not notice the silent figure that stood in the corner of the lift once it arrived. She fiddled with her wand nervously in her hand, this was a habit she had formed while her, Harry, and Ron had been searching for Horcruxes. The four curses had been very long and complicated. Hermione had been interrupted at least five times before she broke through three curses. She was also sure that her hair was burnt at the edges because of the backlash that came with breaking powerful curses. She knew she now had to attempt to break the curses with runes, and that came with its own set of complications and extensive research. Research which she did not mind, but runic curse breaking was very taxing on the body./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione nearly sagged against the elevator wall, she had exhausted herself even further with the prospect of fixing the Time /Hermione wondered when her motivation for her work was swept away./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"The sound of someone clearing their throat sent Hermione's pulse soaring and she nearly leaped out of her skin in fright. She spun, wide-eyed, wand pointing, and a spell ready at her lips. Her wand landed at the tip of Malfoy's Adam's apple in a matter of seconds./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Hullo Granger." Malfoy eyed her contemplatively as if her wand was not inches away from his person./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"She sent him a withering glare, not lowering her wand. "I could've maimed you, Malfoy." Hermione's voice was firm but lacked any venom, exhaustion, and annoyance was laced into her words./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Malfoy stared at her, his features not giving away his thoughts. "Then do put that blasted thing away before you magick off an appendage," he said quirking an eyebrow./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione made a noise at the back of her throat but nevertheless lowered the wand slowly. The lift continued to slowly descend as the two of them stared at one another. The slow hum of the lift gears working in a rhythm that almost soothed Hermione's rapidly beating pulse./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I wasn't aware that you were fond of giving unsuspecting people a fright," she finally said./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Something akin to humor danced in Malfoy's slate eyes. Hermione chalked it off to the dim lighting in the lift./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Malfoy lifted his shoulders to resemble a shrug. "Scaring unsuspecting muggleborns is my specialty."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"If Hermione hadn't known any better, she would've thought that he had been joking with her./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione shifted her stance and crossed her arms. She regarded him astutely and they ended up having a staring contest. Neither wanted to break eye contact first, their stubbornness was nearly enough to burn a wide hole through each of them. Hermione thought it was very childish of them, but she did not grace Malfoy with a reply./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Uh, Mione?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione and Malfoy didn't realize that the lift had come to a stop until someone broke their staring contest. She turned around and came face to face with a Weasley twin./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Fred!" Hermione's features shifted from a firm scowl to a pleasant smile. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at her shift in mood. She hadn't been smiling when he first saw her step into the lift./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Hullo," the Weasley said, suspicion wiped clean from his face./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione stepped out of the lift along with Malfoy and gave Fred a welcoming /"You're back from America! How was it? Did you bring me back anything?" Hermione spit fired questions, as she usually did. Hermione figured that it was better not to worry any of her people./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Fred smiled at her and produced a package from the satchel he was gripping in one /"Why of course I brought you back something. Your birthday is in a few days, so I decided that I'd find you and give it to you," he said, handing her a wrapped gift. "I found it in Wizarding San Francisco, I hope you like it."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione took it and hugged the Weasley again. She placed it in her messenger bag (magically expanded) and stepped away from /"Thank you Fred, I'm excited to open it," she said. "Did you just arrive, it is quite late."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"He nodded, glancing quickly at Malfoy who stood a few feet away from /"Yeah, da just wanted something from his office, even though it's late," replied Fred. "We also figured that you would be here. So I was also on my way to give you your present, in case I didn't see you later."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Of course." Hermione's grin was a bit too forced. "I'll let you get on it then," Hermione said stepping out of the way and her mouth tugging slightly up at the corner. "Have a goodnight Fred."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""You too, Mione…" Fred responded as he stepped into the lift. He frowned at the scene before him as the lift doors closed. How much had he missed while he had been away? Malfoy and Hermione on speaking terms?/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione's smile dropped from her features as soon as Fred disappeared and she started to walk down the corridor to the Apparition point. All she wanted was to get home and get in bed, except there was one issue./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""You're still around, huh." A Malfoy was that issue./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Malfoy sent her a guarded look. "What's in the package the Weasel gave you?"/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Why are you so curious?" said Hermione, affronted./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"He shrugged as he fell into step with her. Hermione resisted gritting her teeth together. He was just trying her patience and rousing her temper. It was probably on purpose./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Just wondering if it'll be detrimental to your health."/p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione stopped her quick pace and stared at the blond. "Excuse me?" Her voice raised a few decibels./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Gesundheit," Malfoy replied smoothly, easily ignoring Hermione's irritation./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"They had arrived in the part of the Ministry's Atrium where Apparating was allowed. Along with the two of them, there were only two night guardwizards and a circulation desk witch. A stale breeze blew through the empty Atrium ruffling Hermione's skirt. The re-done Fountain of Magical Brethren sparkled in the dim light of the Atrium as Hermione looked around and then looked back at Malfoy./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""I wasn't aware that you liked joking around," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, her hands perched on her hips./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"He shrugged and stepped closer to her. Malfoy's eyes dragged along her body, a calculating look thinly veiled. Hermione felt almost nervous as he stared at /"I find it intriguing that you're the Head of the Department of Mysteries and my technical boss…" he said./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Hermione took two steps back into the Apparition point. Her eyes trained on the calculating Malfoy. He looked too interested in her, which did not sit well with her and her frayed nerves. Just four days ago Malfoy had looked at her as if the last place he wanted to be was near her. This sudden interest in her was unnerving./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;""Have a goodnight Malfoy," Hermione said before she disappeared with a loud empurposeful/em crack./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"Malfoy's right eye twitched in annoyance at the noise./p  
p style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"That Granger…/p 


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